R&D spending share of GDP in Spain
Spending on research and development in Spain was equal to 1.49% of GDP in 2023. The value for 2023 is the highest in the series, which starts in 1996.
Spain, 2023
1.49%
Change from 2022
+0.09percentage points
European Union, 2023
2.26%
Median of European Union (27 countries), 2023
1.56%
Position in 2023
28th of 84
R&D spending share of GDP in Spain over time
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Spain
European Union
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The chart loads when you scroll to it. The table below shows the same data.
The chart shows a calculation from the published values. The table below keeps the published values.
% of GDP. Source: World Bank, World Development Indicators. Gaps mean no published value; points are not joined across missing years.
| Period | Spain | European Union |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 1.49% | 2.26% |
| 2022 | 1.41% | 2.23% |
| 2021 | 1.40% | 2.24% |
| 2020 | 1.40% | 2.28% |
| 2019 | 1.24% | 2.21% |
| 2018 | 1.23% | 2.17% |
| 2017 | 1.20% | 2.14% |
| 2016 | 1.18% | 2.10% |
| 2015 | 1.21% | 2.10% |
| 2014 | 1.23% | 2.10% |
| 2013 | 1.27% | 2.08% |
| 2012 | 1.29% | 2.06% |
| 2011 | 1.33% | 2.00% |
| 2010 | 1.35% | 1.96% |
| 2009 | 1.36% | 1.96% |
| 2008 | 1.32% | 1.87% |
| 2007 | 1.24% | 1.79% |
| 2006 | 1.18% | 1.80% |
| 2005 | 1.10% | 1.78% |
| 2004 | 1.04% | 1.79% |
| 2003 | 1.02% | 1.82% |
| 2002 | 0.96% | 1.79% |
| 2001 | 0.89% | 1.82% |
| 2000 | 0.88% | 1.76% |
A dash means no value was published for that period.
In short
- That is a change of +0.09 percentage points from 1.41% in 2022.
- Since 2013, when it was 1.27%, the figure has changed by +0.22 percentage points.
- Among the 84 countries with data for 2023, Spain has the 28th highest value.
- The figure for the European Union in 2023 was 2.26%.
More for Spain
All statistics for Spain
R&D spending share of GDP
1.50%
2024 · Eurostat
Researchers per million people
3,654 per million people
2023 · World Bank
Researchers as a share of the labour force
0.77%
2024 · Eurostat
European patent applications
45.9p (Provisional) per million people
2025 · Eurostat
Scientific and technical journal articles
60,304 articles
2023 · World Bank